Summer Shows and The Churchill Fellowship Award Ceremony

In the UK there is a long history of holding agricultural and county shows with over 400 shows on offer each year. These shows are culturally important to rural communities, giving people a opportunity to get together, enjoy the day and perhaps, show their best livestock, flowers, vegetables, crafting and baking skills or technical skills such as ploughing or thatching. It also gives those from more urban communities a chance to reconnect to countryside, food, farming and rural life.

The last Thursday in August is reserved, on my calendar, every year for the Bucks County Show, which prides itself in being one of the best 1 day agricultural shows in the country. We arrive early, just after 8am, to make the most of the day and head for one of the food vendors to buy a cuppa, which we take with us as we explore the stalls and attractions. We look forward to the routine of the day, reconnecting with familiar faces and a dish of strawberries and melted chocolate for mid morning energy boost! We marvel at the size of the home grown flowers and vegetables and sample artisan produce in the food hall. At the end of the day we head home, pleasantly tired, looking forward to the next shows or food festivals in the calendar.

Late August and early September have been especially busy this year and on the 3rd September 2024 I attended the Churchill Fellowship Award Ceremony in London. I was one of 122 Fellows who were presented with medallions in recognition of our completed research projects. Mine related to my care farming research in 2021. The Chair of the Churchill Fellowship Jeremy Soames spoke of this not being the ending of our Fellowships but rather the beginning of new chapters, as we take what we have learnt and use it in our communities. The Churchill Fellowship is currently open for applications for 2025 fellowships.